Gov. Blunt presents $90,000 grant for historic courthouse

Long overdue improvements to the historic Nodaway County Courthouse, built in 1880, will soon be under way.

Connie Goff

Long overdue improvements to the historic Nodaway County Courthouse, built in 1880, will soon be under way.

Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt traveled to Maryville on Thursday morning to deliver a grant check in the amount of $90,000 to the Nodaway County commissioners.

Blunt said the grant money is available as part of the Missouri Heritage Properties Program, which helps preserve Missouri's historic publicly owned buildings.

"County courthouses are often found in the heart of their communities and serve as an important meeting place for their citizens," Blunt said. "This award will assist the Maryville community with the preservation of this important historic resource and will provide an innovative opportunity to use historic preservation funds to generate economic growth and investment in Missouri downtowns."

Commissioners were awarded the grant money to assist with structural repairs to the bell tower and the ornamental framework between the exterior windows of the courthouse.

Presiding Commissioner Joe Baumli said the courthouse windows were replaced with modern thermal paned windows in the early 80s, however, the ornamental window framework on the exterior of the building has deteriorated extensively and needs to be repaired.

Improvements are also planned for the bell tower on the courthouse.

"For many years the top opening of the bell tower has been an open area," Baumli said. "Rain and elements have compromised the tin pan placed over the floor. Accessibility to the structure is archaic and dangerous. These issues need to be addressed. Tuck-pointing, sealing and caulking also need to be done."

Director of the Northwest Missouri Regional Council of Governments Tye Parsons, who was instrumental in applying for the grant, said the Missouri Heritage Properties Program is fairly new. The grant is available in conjunction with the Department of Natural Resources' state historic preservation office and will be used to make needed improvements on the courthouse.

"We applied for the grant in November 2007," Parsons said. "We received the approval letter Feb. 8, 2008. This is the first time we applied for the grant. We, at the regional council, are always excited when statewide funds make their way to northwest Missouri. It will be a great thing for the county."

Commissioner Bob Stiens said the county will match a portion of the $90,000 grant. An estimate for the entire improvement project is $148,500, leaving the county to match $58,500

The Missouri Heritage Properties Program was launched in Sept. 2007, and complements Gov. Blunt's DREAM (Downtown Revitalization and Economic Assistance for Missouri) Initiative, which is helping to create new growth and economic development opportunities in the hearts of Missouri communities. Maryville was selected as a DREAM community in 2007.

Since taking office, Gov. Blunt has approved nearly 900 projects and issued state tax credits amounting to more than $462 million to benefit historic preservation. The governor also developed the DREAM Initiative in order to give communities access to the tools they need to preserve their history and accomplish their downtown revitalization plans.

Stiens said he is tickled to death about the grant.

"We got the information from the state and sent it right over to the Regional Council of Governments," Stiens said. "They applied for the grant for us. We had been wondering what we could do to make the needed repairs. It would be foolish not to take advantage of the $90,000 grant."

"We want to bring the courthouse structure back as close as possible to the beauty of the 1880 vintage," Baumli said. "We want to keep it for future generations to enjoy."